It's April and that means only one thing, the first of golf's four majors is upon us and the world's finest are heading to the Augusta National for the 74th Masters, which starts on Thursday
All attention will be on one Eldrick 'Tiger' Woods as he returns to his first love from a self-imposed four months away from golf to sort out his well-publicised domestic problems
Woods has form in Georgia and has donned the winners' Green Jacket on four occasions, while world number three Phil Mickelson is also a multiple winner with two victories
But Woods has not won there since 2005, while Mickelson was last victorious in 2006. The duo were paired together in last year's final round, and created a buzz around the course before their challenges petered out
Argentina's Angel Cabrera emerged as the unlikely victor in 2009. He beat American duo Chad Campbell and Kenny Perry in a play-off to add the title to his 2007 US Open triumph
Perry evoked memories of Greg Norman's famous back-nine collapse in 1996 that helped Nick Faldo to a third win, bogeying 17 and 18 to drop into the play-off and miss out on becoming the oldest winner of a major at 48
Experience counts at Augusta and 1992 champion Fred Couples, 51, is in fine form with three wins on the Seniors Tour. He missed the last two cuts at Augusta, but was third in 2006 and is playing in his 26th Masters
Lee Westwood, ranked fourth in the world, leads the British challenge, but he has only had one top 10 in 10 visits (1999) and will remember dropping seven shots in the final four holes last year
Fellow Englishman Ian Poulter, the World Match Play champion, is making his sixth visit to the Masters and he has a decent record, having made the cut every time, although his best finish is 13th in 2007
Northern Ireland pair Graeme McDowell (left) and 20-year-old Rory McIlroy, who made his debut last year, will be looking to improve on impressive 17th and 20th places respectively. McDowell was top European 12 months ago
Padraig Harrington was chasing a third successive major title at last year's Masters, after winning the 2008 Open and USPGA, but a quadruple nine on the second in round three all but ended the Irishman's hopes
Ernie Els is back for his 17th crack at winning the title. The South African, who has won his last two events, has missed the last three cuts at Augusta, but knows his way around with two second places (2000 and 2004)
The scene is set for an intriguing Masters with the fuss surrounding Woods's return perhaps allowing others to slip under the radar. A European, perhaps? Another first-time winner? Or a former champion? We'll see on Sunday
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